2009 'mini bulb of exterior lighting failure'

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Apr 21, 2015 | 07:36 AM
  #1  
Every morning when I turn on my recently purchased mini I get this warning. I have taken the car to the dealership and they cannot find anything wrong with it. Even the diagnostics came back fine on it. I cannot find a bulb out for the life of me and the dealership said there is a chance that there is an LED bulb on the car somewhere and that because LED bulbs are different the car may be acting weird due to that. Is that common at all? Has anyone else had this issue?

Thanks so much!
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Apr 21, 2015 | 08:20 AM
  #2  
Quote: Every morning when I turn on my recently purchased mini I get this warning. I have taken the car to the dealership and they cannot find anything wrong with it. Even the diagnostics came back fine on it. I cannot find a bulb out for the life of me and the dealership said there is a chance that there is an LED bulb on the car somewhere and that because LED bulbs are different the car may be acting weird due to that. Is that common at all? Has anyone else had this issue?

Thanks so much!
Check your:

Headlight bulbs (Low beam/high beam behavior for both bulbs. Total: 2 bulbs)
Front fog lights (Both bulbs. Total: 2 bulbs)
Front parking lights (Above the front fog lights. Total: 2 bulbs)
All bulbs on each tail light (4 bulbs on each tail light. Total: 8 bulbs)
Rear fog light bulb (Total: 1 bulb)
Both registration plate bulbs (Total: 2 bulbs)


Let us know if is all working OK and if there is any LED bulb installed.



EDIT: This is a check for pre LCI models where the reverse lights are on tail lights. For LCI models, reverse bulbs are on rear fog lights housing.
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Apr 22, 2015 | 08:12 PM
  #3  
Figured it out! My fiance and I had to go out at night to look closely at all the lights, but we found it! A simple license plate bulb! Thanks

Angie
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Apr 22, 2015 | 08:50 PM
  #4  
Quote: Figured it out! My fiance and I had to go out at night to look closely at all the lights, but we found it! A simple license plate bulb! Thanks

Angie
A real funny night task!

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Apr 23, 2015 | 10:17 PM
  #5  
Quote: Figured it out! My fiance and I had to go out at night to look closely at all the lights, but we found it! A simple license plate bulb! Thanks

Angie
I had both of mine go out this winter, one about a week after the other.
Consider ordering and replacing both (same bulb as BMW license plate lights).

Got my pair from here:
Amazon.com: 2 X BMW OEM 5w Light BULB License registration Plate illumination lamp for 128i 135i 318i 318is 318ti 320i 323Ci 323i 325Ci 325e 325i 325is 325ix 325xi 328Ci 328i 328xi 330Ci 330i 330xi 335d 335i 335xi 524td 525i 525xi 528e 528i 528iX 528xi 530i 530xi 533i 535i 535iX 535xi 540i 540iP 545i 550i 550iX 645Ci 650i 735i 735iL 740i 74 Made By OSRAM-SYLVANIA: Automotive Amazon.com: 2 X BMW OEM 5w Light BULB License registration Plate illumination lamp for 128i 135i 318i 318is 318ti 320i 323Ci 323i 325Ci 325e 325i 325is 325ix 325xi 328Ci 328i 328xi 330Ci 330i 330xi 335d 335i 335xi 524td 525i 525xi 528e 528i 528iX 528xi 530i 530xi 533i 535i 535iX 535xi 540i 540iP 545i 550i 550iX 645Ci 650i 735i 735iL 740i 74 Made By OSRAM-SYLVANIA: Automotive

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Apr 23, 2015 | 10:25 PM
  #6  
I have this light come on almost every time I start the car, even in the middle of the daytime. I've checked every single bulb imaginable and every one of them is lit up just fine. During the daytime I have to turn the lights on manually and let them on for about 30 seconds to get it to realize all the lights work. Dealer says that at worst it'll take reprogramming the module to a tune of about $160. How the hell does a module lose it's configuration suddenly? And why should I have to pay to "reboot" it?
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Apr 24, 2015 | 03:17 AM
  #7  
Quote: I have this light come on almost every time I start the car, even in the middle of the daytime. I've checked every single bulb imaginable and every one of them is lit up just fine. During the daytime I have to turn the lights on manually and let them on for about 30 seconds to get it to realize all the lights work. Dealer says that at worst it'll take reprogramming the module to a tune of about $160. How the hell does a module lose it's configuration suddenly? And why should I have to pay to "reboot" it?
I doubt that it is the module. Most likely scenario is that you have a bulb out or a loose bulb or a LED bulb that isn't playing nice.

Check again. Get someone to help you. It could be the license plate, puddle lights, fog lights (city lights) etc.
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Apr 24, 2015 | 07:34 AM
  #8  
Quote: I doubt that it is the module. Most likely scenario is that you have a bulb out or a loose bulb or a LED bulb that isn't playing nice.

Check again. Get someone to help you. It could be the license plate, puddle lights, fog lights (city lights) etc.
I'm telling you I've checked every bulb I can lol. Side markers good. Turn signals good. Brake and reverse lights good. Position lights have LED bulbs but have resistors and are CAN compatible and don't flicker upon start-up. Fogs are good. Lows and highs are good as are the license plate bulbs. Even the bulbs I have in the Add-a-brake kit are good.

I'll double check the bulbs connections this weekend, but on the visual surface, there is not a single bulb out in the car and the light comes on, then once I turn all lights on in the daytime, the light goes away after about 30 seconds. So if in fact I did have a bulb burned out, it wouldn't go away at all.
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Apr 26, 2015 | 12:14 AM
  #9  
Quote: I doubt that it is the module. Most likely scenario is that you have a bulb out or a loose bulb or a LED bulb that isn't playing nice.

Check again. Get someone to help you. It could be the license plate, puddle lights, fog lights (city lights) etc.
+1

Quote: Position lights have LED bulbs but have resistors and are CAN compatible and don't flicker upon start-up. Fogs are good. Lows and highs are good as are the license plate bulbs. Even the bulbs I have in the Add-a-brake kit are good.
Please, check the warning after replacing the LED bulbs with halogen bulbs.
What's the "Add-a-brake kit"?

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Apr 26, 2015 | 09:01 PM
  #10  
Quote: +1



Please, check the warning after replacing the LED bulbs with halogen bulbs.
What's the "Add-a-brake kit"?

Add a brake kit: http://www.outmotoring.com/add-a-bra...iring-kit.html

I will swap out the bulbs when I have the time, however I've been running the bulbs for a couple months at lease and haven't had a single problem with them.
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May 2, 2015 | 06:50 PM
  #11  
Quote: Add a brake kit: http://www.outmotoring.com/add-a-bra...iring-kit.html

I will swap out the bulbs when I have the time, however I've been running the bulbs for a couple months at lease and haven't had a single problem with them.
Thank you for the link!
Let us now the swap result (other LEDs or halogen test).
Second test could be the "Add-a-brake" light kit ...

When you say "Every morning when I turn on ..." it is when all lights OFF (lights button position = "0") or when you move the lights button to position "1" and/or "2"?
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May 6, 2015 | 02:05 PM
  #12  
Quote: Thank you for the link!
Let us now the swap result (other LEDs or halogen test).
Second test could be the "Add-a-brake" light kit ...

When you say "Every morning when I turn on ..." it is when all lights OFF (lights button position = "0") or when you move the lights button to position "1" and/or "2"?
I've had that kit installed for three years and have had zero problems with it.

I also have auto lights, so when the car starts in the morning, all lights are OFF and only come on if the light sensor indicates it's too dark and turns the lights on. Lately I haven't been having the problem, so who knows what was causing it.
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May 6, 2015 | 05:19 PM
  #13  
Quote: I've had that kit installed for three years and have had zero problems with it.
"Things work well until it stop working well"

Quote: I also have auto lights, so when the car starts in the morning, all lights are OFF and only come on if the light sensor indicates it's too dark and turns the lights on. Lately I haven't been having the problem, so who knows what was causing it.
Light sensor? It is an aftermarket installation??
You can check starting the car under the sun (lights turned off) and check if the warning is there ...
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Jun 27, 2015 | 06:32 AM
  #14  
Was there ever a resolution for this issue? I had the same last night after a big rain storm.
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Jun 27, 2015 | 08:52 AM
  #15  
I've had light problems like this, on my new to me clubman. I replaced the plate lights they were blown and the front fog light was loose. I've found that using electric contact cleaner and adjusting the tongs that contact the bulb connections fixed my bulb problems.
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Jun 27, 2015 | 11:21 AM
  #16  
Quote: I've had light problems like this, on my new to me clubman. I replaced the plate lights they were blown and the front fog light was loose. I've found that using electric contact cleaner and adjusting the tongs that contact the bulb connections fixed my bulb problems.
Interesting - I left for lunch, and the warning went away. I'll check the plate lights, and a few others this evening.
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Jun 27, 2015 | 04:16 PM
  #17  
Ya, I found that most of the bulb connectors sprung wide. Not making good contact on the bulb. I adjusted them in to make a tight fit.
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